SHIP WRECKED

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1932, Page 5

SHIP WRECKED

TEN LIVES LOST HEROIC WORK CARRIED OUT. (Australian Press Association.)

(ilecoived this day at 9.25 a.m) MELBOURNE, July 11. The coastal steamer, Ca-ino, was wrecked at Apollo Bay to-day, : and the and crew' are believed to le dead. No details have been received. MELBOURNE, July 11. Ten lives were- lost when the small vessel was wrecked about three hundred yards from the shore, while nine uere saved, seven of the crew and’ i-jßyg-,passengers. Heroic rescue work was carried out by ; local farmers, some of whom rode the surf on horseback.' Frank -Martin, on his pony, rescued the second Ibfficer and second 'engineer. He .plunged in again and again but was swept from his pony, and only reach•ed the shore with great difficulty. —rhose drowned were: The' master;) i'John Middleton, aged 48; Orlando .Bennie, the first mate; Michael Foley, aged 42; able seamen Peter Murray, aged 50, and' Hugh Mulholland, aged 49; James Thompson, aged 25, a seaman; John Owen, aged 65, fireman, - Thomas Clark, fireman, James Kirk= patorick aged 44, cook; Helen Gill, • .52. stewardess, ; ' The vessel endeavoured to berth in [Apollo Bay to land the passengers and cargo, but she dropped heavily on the bottom and the p-lat'es iVei© strained. The"captain tried to run out to sea, but the- ship, was leaking badly,-ho he decided to' beach! her. Water-swamped the engine room with the- result that the Casino heeled over. ... As soon as the danger was imminent, lifebJilts were donned, but each time ./g- boat was launched it was swamped by- big- sea-s. A woman and a girl, both passengers, jumped oveboard and eventually 1 -were- driven ashore. , As the- -ship foundered, all but fi ye > including the captain and cabin boy, leapt into the sea- These five clung to the C'a-sino for two hours. /' A crowd was watching bn the shore, but it was realised that it was futile to launch a fishing boat in the boiling surf. Rockets were sent out, but-fail-ed to reach the l steamer. The five on board finalV .attempted to launch a boat, but they were capsized, and only one managed .to reach the shore. The captain was also dragged from the surf, but efforts to revive him failed. A brave part was played by the stewardess, Mrs Gill, who put the lifebelts on the 'women and the girl passengers,, but' had no time to don r ,onOirhersalf before-vtbenOtsino'* *<h<@eled over. She had been on the Casino for twenty-three years, - . The son of Michael Foley was saved. A girl, Joan j-Greier, aged 12, was rescued by those on shore. Mrs Conberry was . the only one to reach the beach unaided. Her husband who was work-- ’ jngj on his farm directly above the -Bay saw the ship go under, and, jumping !jon -his horse, he dashed to thr. beach in time- to -see his wife crawl in " .out,- -of the water on her hands and knees. 1 Thus far five bodies were recovered.